


Hands Clasped So Tight

by harringrovecryptid



Series: Finding You [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, Inception AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-24
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-03-08 21:06:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13466538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harringrovecryptid/pseuds/harringrovecryptid
Summary: Billy would never admit it. But he was falling hard for the brunet. There was just something so disarming about the Architect. It made Billy want to both protect Steve from even the possibility of harm, and also lay himself bare at the other man’s feet.It was a terrifying feeling.ORThe Inception AU no one asked for.





	Hands Clasped So Tight

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is somewhat influenced by the song "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie.
> 
> A very special thanks to lbswasp for beta-reading this for me!

Billy flicked his lighter open then snapped it shut.

Jonathan’s workspace always felt too open for his liking. Too many windows, too much room to ever successfully secure. Byers claimed he thought better with open spaces. A literal and metaphorical world of unfenced possibilities. Billy had a theory Jonathan just wanted more space for his chemistry sets.

He flicked his lighter open again.

“Got a light?” A soft voice inquired from behind where Billy was sitting.

Billy looked over his shoulder and caught sight of the most beautiful man he’d ever laid eyes on.

The dark-haired man was a little taller than he was, but had a leaner frame compared to the Forger’s muscular build. What really caught Billy’s attention were his eyes.

They were like dark chocolate, the kind of eyes you’d spend an eternity getting lost in. There was something so bright in them, like they emitted their own warmth.

The brunette cleared his throat and gestured to the lighter in Billy’s hand.

Billy looked from the man and the unlit cigarette casually dangling from his lips, to his lighter, then back to those lips.

He snapped the lighter shut. “Nah, sorry. Can’t help you.”

Billy couldn’t miss the surprised and annoyed huff that passed over the brunette’s face. He felt a pang of guilt at being the one to cause it, but couldn’t quite feel sorry because the man looked absolutely adorable when he sulked. Billy wanted to spend hours committing that face to memory.

But in all honesty, Billy couldn’t help him. The lighter hadn’t worked in years, and you were never supposed to let anyone familiarize themselves with your totem.

The brunette sighed and walked towards one of Jonathan’s many cabinets, all filled with vials of sleep draughts.

Billy watched him from across the room. This had to be the Architect Jonathan had mentioned, an old childhood friend.

He seemed completely at home in the space, like he’d been here before. After pulling open a drawer and rummaging around for a bit, the brunette’s hand reemerged clutching a lighter. He quickly lit the cigarette between his lips and turned back to Billy, sending a satisfied and comically spiteful puff of smoke in the his direction.

Billy rolled his eyes and leaned further back in his chair, waiting for Jonathan to arrive.

He didn’t have to wait long before the man in question walked through the door followed by Nancy.

Billy had been working with the couple for a few years now, and had to admit he developed a soft spot for the Point Woman. She was level-headed and strong enough to keep the team in line while on a job. Failure and defeat weren’t in Nancy’s vocabulary. They weren’t in Billy’s either, which is probably why they got along so well, much to Byers’ chagrin.

“Where’s Hopper?” Billy asked, rising from his seat to greet the couple. Nancy pulled him into a hug, and Billy took great delight in Jonathan’s annoyed huff.

“He’s busy getting intel on the mark.” The Chemist responded.

A laugh echoed from the brunette. It sounded like music. “Isn’t that the excuse Hop always used when he just wanted to catch a few more hours of sleep in the morning?”

Billy’s didn’t miss the way Nancy’s face lit up when she noticed the other man in the room.

“Steve!” She ran into his open arms.

 _So he has a name_. Billy mused as he watched Steve and Nancy smile and sway in each other’s embrace like old familiar friends, or something more.

He glanced at Jonathan, noting the bittersweet smile at the reunion. There was history between these three. Something Billy might never fully understand. But he could see it in the way Steve shared a cautious smile with Jonathan over the Point Woman’s shoulder.

“It’s been awhile.” The Chemist stated.

Steve pulled away from Nancy. “I think I just needed a change of scenery.” He offered before pulling Jonathan into a similar hug.

“We missed you.” He whispered.

Steve smiled into Jonathan’s shoulder. “Me too.”

The two men pulled away and looked each other up and down, noting any new scars or changes that they might have missed in each other’s absence.

Then Steve’s face turned serious. “Is Will okay?”

“Yeah he’s fine.” Jonathan nodded. “He’s recovering pretty well and working some smaller jobs with the other kids.”

“Kids? You know they’re old enough to drink now right?” Steve teased.

Billy coughed, garnering the attention of the distracted trio. It’s not that the apparent reunion wasn’t sweet, he just felt a little weird being a passive observer.

“Billy,” Nancy, started. “Have you two introdruced yourselves?”

“Not officially.” He responded.

“Not politely.” Steve added, with a grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

Billy chose to ignore that little jab and offered his hand instead. “Billy Hargrove, Forger.”

“Steve Harrington, Architect and lighter-sharing enthusiast.” Steve took his hand and gave it a shake. It was surprisingly strong and yet decidedly soft.

“Well hopefully I’ll get a chance to share other things with you while we work together.”

He could feel Steve’s pulse quicken beneath his fingertips, but the Architect made no outward sign of being surprised.

Instead, a slow, knowing smile spread across Steve’s face. It reminded Billy of a sunrise. “I think I’d like that Mr. Hargrove.”

“Billy,” he corrected. “Call me Billy.”

 

_“Billy!” Steve whispered his name like a prayer. “I can’t-- I can’t--”_

_The Forger stretched his arm forward and shushed the sweaty brunette before continuing his veneration of the member between Steve’s legs._

_It wasn’t long into their first job together before Billy practically dragged Steve into his bedroom. They tore each other’s clothes off like desperate teenagers and laid claim to each other’s bodies, kissing and biting with a need neither had truly felt before._

_Eventually Billy found his way between Harrington’s legs, determined to show Steve exactly what his mouth was capable of._

_“Billy I’m gonna…” Steve gasped out, his penis twitching, begging for release._

_Billy ghosted his breath across Steve’s cock, teasing him into a frenzy. “What are you going to do babe?”_

_Steve groaned in both frustration and desire, his hands balling into fists around Billy’s white bed sheets._

_“...Gonna come--” Steve managed to grit out._

_Billy gave a predatory smile. “Then come,” he growled before wrapping his lips around Steve’s leaking cock, taking in more and more until his eyes watered from the exertion._

_Harrington didn’t last long after that, crying out before ejaculating down Billy’s eager throat._

_“Fuck.” Steve whispered as Billy crawled up to give him a kiss, the taste of himself still on Hargrove’s lips._

_Billy grinned. “Well we haven’t fucked quite yet Harrington. That’ll come later if you stick around for it.”_

_Steve let out a breathy laugh and wrapped his arms Billy’s neck. “Why the hell would I ever leave with a promise like that?”_

 

Steve stayed on after completing the first job, and Billy would be lying if he said he wasn’t happy about it.

The man was a completely different Architect compared to Will. His dreams always looked and felt somehow softer compared to the younger Byers’. While Will had excelled in creating a detailed yet completely unrecognizable cityscape, Steve’s environments felt warm and safe, practically begging for some unknowing victim to fill the dream with their secrets.

Billy could feel himself wanting to fill Steve with his own secrets, along with a few other things.

He’d never admit it. But he was falling hard for the brunette. There was just something so disarming about the Architect. It made Billy want to both protect Steve from even the possibility of harm, and also lay himself bare at the other man’s feet.

It was a terrifying feeling.

“Hey, are you listening?”

Billy blinked out of his musings when Nancy nudged him with her elbow. “Hmm?”

The Point Woman rolled her eyes. “I need your ears Billy. The next heist is in a week and you need to know exactly where Hopper will be leading our mark.”

“Yeah I got you, sorry.” Billy mumbled, using his lighter to kindle the cigarette between his lips.

He never got used to the moment you remember you’re dreaming. It was like pulling back wallpaper only to find a forest. It consumed you and everything you thought you understood.

“It’s Steve, isn’t it?” Billy nearly dropped his cigarette as he turned to face Nancy.

“What?” He stammered. “No, it’s…”

Nancy shook her head. Her arms were crossed in annoyance but there was something in her eyes closer to amusement.  “I knew it. How long?”

Billy took a pull from the cigarette, buying some time while also desperately seeking that nicotine release.

But Nancy saw right through that. She snatched the cigarette from his lips and held it just out of reach. “Billy. If your relationship is going to affect our missions I have to know, for the sake of the team.”

“Look, I’m not going to let my feelings get in the way of my job Nance. I’m a professional.”

The Point Woman continued to stare him down. _Try again_ , her eyes seemed to challenge.

Billy sighed and looked up to the sky. Absently marveling at all the details Steve had put into the clouds.

“Billy…”

“Since the first job.” He recalled. “We got together during the Flanagan heist.”

Nancy nodded and began to offer the cigarette back before pausing again. “Are you going to break his heart?”

“No!” Billy snapped more forcefully than he intended as he turned to face his coworker. “I’m not gonna-- I wouldn’t dream of… I care about him Nance.”

It felt like such a flat or small thing to say to describe all that Billy felt about Steve. And to her credit, Nancy knew Billy well enough to understand that.

She nodded again, seemingly satisfied with that answer as Billy took his cigarette back.

They stood on the empty street corner in silence for a time before Nancy spoke again.

“Are you happy?”

Billy coughed. “What?”

Nancy sighed and shook her head. “ I care about Steve. I don’t want him getting hurt... again.” Her eyes misted over for a moment, lost in her own memories before she pulled herself back.

“But I also care about you Hargrove. I don’t want you to get hurt either.”

Billy took another pull from the cigarette, trapping the smoke in his throat before releasing it past his lips. He faintly smiled before looking into Nancy’s earnest eyes. “Yeah, I’m happy.”

Nancy smiled back before casually bumping shoulders with him as she turned to face the rest of the city. Never in his life had Billy even dreamed he’d have a friend like Nancy. Someone protective and thoughtful who didn’t care about where he came from. But here she was.

Billy looked around them, taking in the dream once more before turning his attention back to the Point Woman. “You didn’t actually need to run through the heist with me did you?”

Grinning, Nancy looked up into his blue eyes. “No. Hopper’s going to walk us all through it tomorrow.”

Billy laughed, really laughed before playfully elbowing Nancy. “Nosy little fucker, aren’t ya.”

“I did have to make sure you two weren’t going to screw up anything on a mission.” She tried to half-heartedly defend herself, nudging back.

“Oh we’re definitely screwing, just not on the job.” Billy raised his eyebrows and laughed as Nancy groaned shoved him a little harder.

 

_Steve led Billy across the wooden threshold of the cabin. “It’ll be a little dusty at first, but it’s ours for the month.”_

_Nancy and Jonathan had finally decided to get married after being engaged for over four years, and Hopper thought it would be a good idea if the rest of the team took some well-deserved time off while the newlyweds were honeymooning._

_The cabin was deceptively spacious considering its outward appearance. All the appliances looked relatively modern, and there was even a tv and playstation in front of a well-worn couch. But what really caught Billy’s eye was the bed._

_It was a beautiful king-size mattress with what looked like twenty layers of blankets stacked on top. It was up against a wall made entirely of bay windows that looked out across the lake and mountains that surrounded them._

_“I’ve been meaning to tell the rest of the team about this place, but I guess now it can just be our little secret.” Steve smiled nervously as he watch Billy silently explore the cozy space._

_The Forger had mentioned he’d never been to the mountains before, so Steve figured this might be the perfect place to go now that they had the time._

_“I know cities are more your thing. We can always go somewhere else if you don’t like--”_

_Steve’s rambling was interrupted as Billy swooped in and captured his lips in a kiss. The brunette hummed in surprise before relaxing into his lover’s arms._

_Billy broke away and looked into Steve’s dark eyes. “I love it.”_

_“You do?” Steve asked, face shining bright with relief._

_Billy smiled and began to gently nudge Steve backwards towards the bed._

_“Uh huh,” he murmured as he pushed Steve onto the blankets decorating the mattress. “But don’t you think we should start our little getaway off with a bang?”_

_Steve snickered, both at the stupid joke and at how happy and free the two of them felt._

_He looked so beautiful, so vulnerable, it made Billy’s heart ache. He wished it could always be like this. Just the two of them, completely safe._

_Having angry men hunting you down was part of the risk that came with running heists. People don’t like it when you dig around their head for secrets._

_Fortunately none of them had caught up to the team yet, but the fear of getting shot or ambushed was always looming over Billy’s head._

_Billy had never minded that part of the job until Steve entered his life. Suddenly it wasn’t just the fear of him getting attacked anymore, but Steve as well._

_Billy burrowed his nose in the crook of Steve’s neck, nibbling and kissing just the right places that would pulls gasps and laughs from the brunette’s mouth. Every noise was precious music to his ears. Billy would never let anything happen to him._

_Steve wrapped his legs around Billy’s waist and began fumbling with the Forger’s belt._

_“Eager today aren’t we?” Billy hummed in pleasure as Steve’s hands wrapped around his cock._

_“Like I said,” Steve stared into Billy’s eyes with a mock-serious expression. “We_ only _have this place for a month.”_

_“God I love you,” Billy whispered, brushing hair out of Steve’s face._

_The man beneath him smiled, practically radiating peace and utter delight. “I love you too.”_

 

It had been a little over three years since Steve had joined the team. Three blissful years of high-stake heists with secret romantic getaways peppered throughout.

One of Billy’s favorites had been their first anniversary.

Steve had managed to get a hold of the PASIV Device and recreated their first ever meeting.

Billy had marveled at all the little details Steve had captured from Jonathan’s office, it even smelled the same.

“I thought we weren’t supposed to draw from memories…” Billy half-protested.

The Architect shrugged. “When we’re working, yeah. But this is just one night, just for us.”

 _Us_ . Billy never imagined he’d be a part of an _Us_. But the sound of that word on Steve’s lips made his heart swell.

“Now, you were sitting here,” Steve gently guided Billy into the leather chair before disappearing from sight. “And I came and asked for a light.”

He reappeared, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips and a sultry, flirtatious glint in is eye. “Hey handsome, got a light?”

“What are you doing?” Billy laughed.

Steve huffed and pulled the cigarette from his mouth. “I’m fixing our first meeting. That way when people ask about it we can lie and say it went like this instead.”

“What? I wasn’t romantic enough for you?” Billy teased.

The brunette crossed his arms. “You were a total ass.”

“With an ass you fell in love with,” the Forger winked back. Harrington still looked positively adorable when he sulked.

Steve leaned forward, inviting himself into Billy’s personal space. His lips ghosted against Billy’s own.  “If you play along I’ll show you exactly how I wanted our first encounter to go.”

“Didn’t realize you were into role-playing,” Billy murmured, his voice taking on a husky tone.

Steve batted his dark lashes. “You’re going to find out a few other things tonight if you play your cards right, Hargrove.”

Pulling away, Steve righted himself and replaced the cigarette in his mouth. He turned to Billy. “Got a light?”

The Forger flicked his lighter open, producing a flame that matched the rising heat in his groin.

Steve smirked and leaned down, taking a pull from the cigarette all the while making his lips look positively obscene as they wrapped around the cylinder. It had its desired effect as Billy shifted in his seat, eyes glued to Steve’s mouth.

Billy’s still-lit lighter fell to the ground, forgotten. The small flame continued to glow throughout the entire night, illuminating the darkening room with shadows and silhouettes of the two men as they ground and rocked against each other well into the night.

It was a memory that kept Billy company through the more difficult days. He genuinely felt so happy and invincible. As long as he was with Steve, there was nothing they couldn’t do.

And then Nancy Wheeler got pregnant.

She and Jonathan broke the news to the rest of the team well into her first trimester.

Of course everyone was ecstatic. Nancy promised to work as long as possible before the baby was born, which in her mind was most likely up until the first or fourth contraction.

But the fact remained that they’d need a new Point Man until Nancy could come back.

Which is what lead them to Tommy H.

 

“Tommy?” Steve stared incredulously at Hopper. “The same Tommy that screwed us seven years ago? Loose-cannon Tommy?”

Hopper pressed him palms into the metal table in front of him. “Kid, I know you don’t want to trust him--”

“Like hell I do!” Steve slammed him hands on the table squaring off across from his Extractor. Nancy had barely been gone two weeks and the team could already feel the tension her absence had caused.

Billy had never seen Steve lose his cool like this, especially in front of Hopper. This Tommy guy must have fucked up pretty bad to deserve that kind of response.

“Can’t we just get another Point Man?” He inquired, not used to taking on the peacemaker role.

“No,” Jonathan sadly shook his head. “Lucas is in Heathrow. He won’t be free for weeks.”

Steve threw a hand upwards. “Then we wait until he gets back.”

“We can’t.” Hopper shook his head.

“Why not?”

“Because our mark is Dr. Martin Brenner.” The room fell silent at the new information. “He’s only going to be in the States for three days next month, then he’s flying back to Sydney. This is our chance.”

Billy joined the team post-Brenner. But he’d heard stories, seen the haunted look in both Hopper and his adopted daughter’s eyes.

Brenner was one of the world’s best Extractors. But his experiments with PASIV Devices had gotten out of hand. There were reports that he’d kept children under for months on end, without a totem or anchor to help them differentiate between dreams and reality.

Billy might not have all the details, but he knew enough to understand the slight tremble in their Extractor’s voice. This was personal.

“Can you promise me Tommy won’t turn on us again?” Steve whispered. Everyone knew it didn’t matter what answer Hopper gave. They were in. All of them.

Hopper ran a hand over his beard, taking a shaky breath before responding. “I promise.”

 

_“My father always had a habit of lying.” Steve had whispered, absently tracing lazy patterns into his lover’s chest._

_Billy’s paused in the middle of twirling one of Steve’s thick brown locks between his finger. It was still early on in their relationship, and they were both testing the waters, seeing how far or deep they were comfortable with going._

_Neither of them had talked about family before._

_“He’d lie to my mom mostly, about all the women he_ wasn’t _sleeping with. The things he’d lie to me about were more… insidious. He made me think I had a choice in the things I did and where I’d end up. But it was never real. If it wasn’t for Nancy I’d probably still be stuck in Indiana.”_

_Billy quietly nodded. He never knew what to say when it came to these things. But he knew that sometimes all someone wanted was to be heard._

_“And when he wasn’t trying to pull the strings that controlled my entire life,” Steve continued, his voice sounded thicker. “He and my mom would just… ignore me. Sometimes they’d leave for months. Trips would extend weeks longer than promised and all I’d get was a postcard in the mail. But the worst days were when we’d all be home and they still acted like I wasn’t there.”_

_A silence fell across the room. Probably the same kind of empty silence that haunted Steve’s childhood, Billy mused._

_He ran a possessive hand through Steve’s hair, gently grasping a handful of his soft locks, finding stability in the brunette’s presence._

_“I ran away from home the night I turned eighteen.” Billy started._

_He could feel Steve still against his chest, listening._

_“My dad was a piece of shit. He hated me, hated who I was and the people I loved. After my mom… after she died my dad started to hit me. Tried to beat the things he didn’t approve of right out of me.”_

_Steve’s arm slid across his chest, offering a comforting embrace. “Do you miss your mom?”_

_“I still dream about her. Sometimes I think about trying to recreate my memories with the PASIV Device.”_

_“Why don’t you?”_

_Billy felt Steve’s body rise and fall with his chest as he took a deep breath. He’d tried once, early on in his dream heisting career. But he was inexperienced, and the memories were too old for him to create a clear image. And even then, the flaws and imperfections of Billy’s adult life bled into those precious memories, tainting them._

_“Because I think I’d just ruin it. The memories are too old, too faded. They were the only good thing I had to hold onto for so long… I feel like they’re so close to crumbling.”_

_Steve leaned up and gently kissed the corner of Billy’s mouth, pulling him back to the present._

_Steve waited until Billy looked him in the eye before smiling. “Then I guess we’re just going to have to make some new happy memories.”_

_Billy smiled back and pulled Steve into his arm. “I’ve already got plenty of those.”_

_“Oh,” Steve sighed, lazily slipping his hand under the bedsheets until he found Billy’s penis. “Well if you’ve already got enough happy memories then I don’t really have to make any more.”_

_Billy moaned as Steve gave his member a teasing squeeze before withdrawing his hand._

_“Oooh,” he breathed. “You’re an asshole, Steve Harrington.”_

_Steve grinned before rolling onto his back. “I mean, if you wanted to help me make some happy memories of my own…”_

_Billy rolled his eyes before reaching out and pulling Steve back into his arms. “You’re so needy.”_

_“Yeah,” Steve gave Billy a quick peck. “And I need you.”_

 

Tommy, in Billy’s humble opinion, was a complete and utter prick.

He twitched like a rabbit and sported a shit-eating grin that Billy just wanted to smack off.

As a Point Man, he was reckless. He took risks and favored spontaneity instead of calculated plans like Nancy.

Tommy acted like the rest of the world moved and worked around him. It put everyone on edge. Billy could see it in the tension across Hopper’s shoulders. He could see it in the way Jonathan toyed with his wedding band, mind elsewhere. He saw it in the way Steve’s jaw was set firm, uncharacteristically silent and closed off whenever the new Point Man was in the room.

Tommy could feel it too, he just didn’t care.

But they needed him.

No.

They needed Nancy back. But she wasn’t here right now. And Billy would be damned if he let the team fall apart while their Point Woman was away.

“We should talk,” Billy stated, pulling Tommy aside as the rest of the team trailed out of Jonathan’s workspace. He caught Steve’s eyes, giving him a reassuring nod as the Architect hesitantly followed Jonathan and Hopper.

Billy waited until it was just him and Tommy before returning his attention back to the Point Man.

Tommy was leaning against one of Jonathan’s cabinets, shaking the vials within. “What can I do for you?”

“It’s about the job actually--”

“Something you don’t quite get?” Tommy asked, quirking his head to the side. “I’d be happy to use smaller words...”

God Billy wanted to hit him so bad.

Billy took a deep breath. “No, it’s you actually.”

“Oh?” Tommy continued to smile. But Billy saw something stirring behind those dark eyes. They reminded Billy of oil or tar. Something you get stuck in.

“I was hoping your history with the rest of the team would mean we wouldn’t need to worry about you holding up your end--”

“Mmh, _history_ ,” Tommy sneered.

The Forger leaned into Tommy’s personal space. “--But at this point I’m not convinced.”

“And this is, what? Meant to scare me into doing my job?”

Billy didn’t move. “I don’t want to have to worry about anyone on my team getting hurt because you weren’t prepared.”

“Ah,” Tommy smiled and shifted on his feet, stepping further away. “ _Your_ team. You know they were a team before you came along.”

Billy growled. “I’m here now.”

“And I was there before you!” Tommy snapped back. “Maybe not from the beginning, but I worked with this team before they moved to higher-end heists. When the lines between Nancy, Steve, and Jonathan were a little more blurred. And Steve?”

Billy hated the way Steve sounded on Tommy’s tongue. Like the name itself was something lewd.

Tommy leaned forward now, a knowing look in his eye. “You had to have known you weren’t the first man to notice that pretty ass. And those lips? Fuck. That mouth was made to suck di--”

The next thing he knew, Tommy was on the ground and Billy felt blood across his knuckles.

“What the hell man?” Tommy cried, cradling his nose.

But Billy didn’t pull back. Instead he leaned over and gripped Tommy by the shirt, hauling him upright.

“If you so much as look at Steve wrong for the rest of this job, if this mission goes anything less than perfect, you’re dead. Do you hear me?”

Billy didn’t wait to hear Tommy’s response. He shoved the other man back onto the cold concrete floor before storming out of the space, slamming the door behind him.

His blood pounded in his ears for the rest of the day.

 

“Hey,” Steve poked Billy in the ribs. “Where are you right now?”

He sighed, pulling his lover closer, trying to find some familiarity and comfort in an unfamiliar city. The entire team had flown to Chicago where Brenner was staying, and Billy and Steve were more than happy to split a room. “I was imagining pushing Tommy down a long flight of stairs.”

Steve scoffed and blew some loose strands of hair out of his face. “Yeah well, after tomorrow you’ll never have to see him again.”

“Thank god.” The blond groaned, running his fingers through Steve’s hair. It had become a source of tranquility for the two of them.

“Are you nervous about the heist?” Steve asked quietly.

It was a rhetorical question. The team was always at least a little skittish the day before a job. This one was different though. It felt like the brief pause before a thrill ride shot out of the gate. The track was set and the only thing they could do was hold tight.

“Are you?” Billy asked instead.

Steve rolled his eyes. “I’d rather not be paired up with Tommy, but I guess I can’t have everything.”

“If Hopper didn’t need me I’d switch--”

Steve patted Billy’s chest. “No you’re fine. Hop needs this to go smooth. I think after tomorrow he’ll finally be able to get some sleep.”

“We all will.” Billy murmured into Steve’s hair.

They watched the sunrise together. The view was nothing compared to the one at the cabin. But with Steve in his arms it felt pretty close to feeling like home.

“Promise me,” Billy whispered, not looking away from the window. “Promise that if anything goes wrong you’ll get yourself somewhere safe.”

Steve sat up so he could look Billy in the eye. A confused smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “We all know the rendezvous point…”

Billy reached out, taking a hold of the Architect’s gentle hands. “Steve. I need to know that you’ll be okay. No matter how tomorrow goes.”

Steve nodded slowly, sensing the intensity in Billy’s stare. “I promise.”

He felt his shoulders sag in relief when those two words left Steve’s lips. Maybe he was being paranoid, but there was something off about this heist.

 _Heist_. That’s what they called the mission. But this was revenge, plain and simple. Hopper was going to tear Brenner’s mind to shreds, leaving nothing but a vegetable in his place.

“Come here.” Billy murmured, pulling Steve into a deep kiss, desperate to commit his taste to memory.

The brunette smiled into his mouth before hesitantly pulling away.

“We should get going.” Steve stated as he rose from the bed and lazily began pulling his clothes on. “Jonathan’s going to want to walk us through his new batch of Somnacin again. You know how he gets when we’re late.”

 

Billy checked his watch for the eleventh time within the last minute, anxiously pacing back and forth. Steve was late.

The mission had gone to shit almost immediately after they hooked Brenner up to the PASIV Device.

Normally a more-skilled mark would have some kind of security system in place. That’s what Tommy assumed would be the case, and that’s what he prepared them for.

What they discovered was that Brenner didn’t need trained guards to protect the secrets he had tucked away. His skills surpassed any mental security system that could have been implemented.

Billy would never forget the feeling of Brenner reaching out and attacking their own mental shields. It felt like dark otherworldly vines were digging into his mind, trying to corrupt and render him helpless.

But what truly made his blood turn to ice was the sound of Steve screaming in agony over his earpiece as the scientist attempted to tear the dream down around them.

All Billy wanted was to run and find his lover, protect him from whatever this monster was doing. He couldn’t imagine what it must feel like to have someone like Brenner trying to manipulate and tear your mind to ribbons.

But it had all been part of the plan, most of it at least.

Getting Brenner inside a moving van and into Steve’s dream had been the most difficult step. From that point they just needed to stall and buy Jonathan enough time to get them back to the safehouse.

They’d selected an abandoned warehouse outside of the city, the perfect place for Hopper to finally end this, once and for all. They just needed to stay asleep until Jonathan got them there.

Which turned out to be easier said than done.

Brenner somehow knew that they were in Harrington’s dream, and was doing everything in his power to wake the Architect up. And if Steve’s cries and the crumbling buildings were anything to go by, he was succeeding.

What the doctor hadn’t consider however, was how utterly pissed he’d made Billy and Hopper.

Brenner was too preoccupied mentally reaching out across the dreamscape, digging into Steve’s psyche, to see the first hit coming.

Hopper knocked the doctor onto the pavement in a single strike. From that point it was a wild melee of hits and kicks from both the Extractor and Forger. An all-out attack fueled by revenge and love.

Billy didn’t let up until Steve stopped screaming. After that he was more than happy to let Hopper have Brenner all to himself.

Brenner was reduced to a bloody pulp before they even got to the safehouse. By the time Jonathan woke the rest of the team up, Brenner was swaying on his feet despite the fact that none of the injuries he procured in Steve’s dream followed him into reality.

Billy barely had enough time to pull Steve into a tight hug before Hopper ordered him to dump the van somewhere.

“It’s fine. I’m okay.“ Steve had whispered, trying to reassure him. “We’ll meet on top of the hotel. I promise.”

But Billy still wasn’t convinced. The Architect seemed to have fooled everyone else, but Billy had noticed the way Steve cradled his head when they first woke up. Brenner had fucked with Steve’s mind, and the Architect was doing his best to keep a brave face until the mission was over.

The pained look in his lover’s eyes made Billy want to lash out and pummel Brenner all over again. But that was Hopper’s privilege now. And Billy knew their Extractor would made sure the man paid for his crimes.

Billy kept his eyes on Steve in the rearview mirror until the brunette shrunk into the distance.

He could dump the car and be on the rooftop in under an hour. Then he and Steve could finally rest.

 

Billy checked his watch again. It had been almost two hours since he left the rest of the team at the safehouse. Steve should have been here by now. So either the Architect is _very_ lost, or something happened.

Billy felt the bullet tear into his abdomen before he even heard a gunshot.

Fuck. He stumbled forward and clutched his side.

Billy had been too worried about Steve to even consider if he’d been followed.

“Hill, this is Carol. I’ve got one of them on the roof. Get your ass over here.” A feminine voice spoke on a radio behind him.

How’d they know to look here?

Billy turned around and leaned against the roof’s railing, the only thing keeping him from falling off the side. Blood was seeping through his fingers.

Carol had a pistol trained on his chest. “Where’s Dr. Brenner?”

“Screw you.” Billy spat as he blinked away the black spots that were beginning to cloud his vision. He slid to the ground, unable to stand on his own anymore.

Carol stepped forward. “Your friend, Tommy? He told us where to find you.”

Billy ground his teeth together, both from the burning pain in his abdomen and Tommy’s betrayal. They should never have trusted him.

The woman crouched down in front of him before continuing.

“Now I’m figuring if I knock him around a little, he’ll squeal and tell me where the rest of your pals are. So I’m going to ask you again...”

Carol pressed the barrel of the gun against Billy’s head.

“Where is Brenner?”

Billy looked her in the eye, unafraid. “Go to hell.”

Carol shook her head. “Have it your way.”

The last thing Billy thought of before he closed his eyes was Steve. He hoped the Architect had avoided getting caught. With any luck Harrington was miles away from here.

“Shit!”

Billy heard a gunshot followed by the sound of a body hitting the ground.

He slowly opened his eyes, half-expecting it to be a trick until he saw Steve with a gun in his shaking hand.

“Steve?”

The Architect dropped his weapon and ran towards Billy, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. “You’re shot…”

“I’m alright.” Billy tried to reassure Steve, but the brunette just shook his head.

“Like hell you are!” Steve shouted as he pressed his hands against the gunshot wound, trying to slow the bleeding. “You almost died Billy! I was almost too late--”

Billy reached out to try and calm the tremors that were beginning to overwhelm Steve’s smaller frame. His blood smeared against Steve’s soft flushed skin. Everything was getting cold and fuzzy...

“It’s fine. I’m okay.” Billy recited. “We’re going to be okay. I promise.”

Steve’s dark panicked eyes met Billy’s blue, and for a moment they both found peace in each other’s breathing.

Then they heard a gun cock behind them.

“Get up.” A faceless voice ordered.

Shit. Billy forgot about Hill.

He could see panic overtake Steve’s face as his lover looked over his shoulder. Steve slowly rose to his feet. “My friend’s hurt. We need to get him to a hospital.”

The gunman gestures with his firearm. “Turn around and put your hands behind your head.”

“I’ll cooperate if you give me your word you’ll take us to a hospital.” Billy wanted to kick Steve for his stubbornness.

There was a tense pause before Hill nodded.

Steve slowly raised his bloody hands above his head and turned around to look at Billy. They both knew the guard was lying.

Hill walked up behind Steve’s back and pulled out a pair of handcuffs.

They also both knew that Hill would have to lower his gun to handcuff Steve. It was the only chance they’d have.

Steve waited for Billy’s nod before he made his move. Throwing his head back, Steve’s head collided with Hill’s, stunning the guard.

Steve turned and swung at the man, but Hill managed to dodge. Billy could only watch on helplessly as the two fought, trading hits and broken lips, each trying to overpower the other in a life or death struggle.

Billy’s eyes darted across the rooftop, looking for something that would help. He could feel unconsciousness tugging at the corners of his mind. Just keeping his eyes open was starting to take a good amount of effort. Then Billy’s eyes landed on Steve’s discarded gun, lying forgotten at his feet.

Reaching for it alone made Billy’s entire body scream in pain, his bloody, sweaty hands clumsy wrapping around the weapon.

Hill slammed Steve against the railing. At this point the Architect had a split lip and a cut above his forehead, his strength was leaving him.

Billy pulled himself up and aimed the gun.

Steve managed to pivot and slam Hill into the railing, using the guard to steady himself before landing another punch.

He wanted so desperately to fire, but Billy’s hands were shaking from exertion, and Steve and Hill were too close for an easy shot. The thought of accidentally shooting Steve tore at Billy heart, but there was no other way. He had to take the chance or they’d both die. The Forger took a ragged breath and trained the gun on Hill’s head. The man was leaning over the railing, trying to avoid anymore hits.

Billy pulled the trigger.

A spray of blood spurted from Hill’s neck. The man gripped Steve’s shirt and jerked his head to the side in surprise. One of his hands instinctively applying pressure to the wound. But it wasn’t going to save him.

Hill twitched and turned to look at Billy and the gun that had sealed his fate. His eyes were filled with equal amounts of fear and rage. Hill’s death was inevitable and he knew it.

But he must have seen something in Billy’s eyes too, because Hill paused and looked from Billy to Steve then back again, connecting the dots.

A gurgling laugh escaped the man’s throat. It was ugly against the sound of the city far below, and chilled Billy to the core far more than the gunshot wound ever did.

Hill shook his head, blinking rapidly before making eye contact with Billy. “I’ll see you in hell, kid.”

His garbled words were the last thing Billy heard before Hill took hold of Steve and pulled both of them over the railing.

Billy cried out and launched himself towards where his lover had disappeared. He was barely aware of the agony that his body was in as he desperately looked over the side of the building. It couldn’t end like this.

His heart felt like it was going to burst when Billy caught sight of Steve hanging onto the  rooftop ledge.

“Steve!” Billy choked on his own tears.

The brunette looked up, eyes full of fear. “Billy I can’t--”

“Shut up and give me your hand!” Billy reached over the railing, his hands were only close enough to brush against Steve’s battered knuckles. “Babe I need you to reach for me, okay?”

Steve winced and tried to keep hold of the roof with one hand as he lifted the other upwards.

Billy cried out in relief and gripped Steve’s arm with both hands. But there was too much of his own blood drenching their fingers, and he could feel his hold slipping.

Judging by the look in Steve’s eyes, he could feel it too.

Steve shook his head. “Billy…”

“Give me your other arm.” He tried to order. Maybe with both hands…

“Billy please.” Steve sobbed.

“I’ve got you baby, just hold on.” The Forger looked around, searching for something to save both of them, but the roof was empty save for Carol’s dead body.

“Billy!” Steve’s cry pulled all his attention back to them, their bloody hands, and a fate they couldn’t seem to escape.

“I love you so much…” The brunette began, tears rolling down his face.

Billy sobbed. “I love you too.”

“Promise you won’t shut everyone out.” Steve pleaded, their hands shaking, trying to hold on.

Billy shook his head. “I won’t have to, I’m going to get us out of this.”

But even as he spoke their hands slid just a little further.

They gasped and tried to clutch at each other. Steve looked up into Billy’s blue eyes. _You have oceans trapped behind your eyes._ That’s what he always used to tell him.

But right now it felt like they were both drowning.

“Billy.” The brunette breathed his name like a prayer.

“Steve.” Billy whispered back.

Their hands slipped apart and Billy was left crying out and clutching at empty space. Then everything went dark.

 

Billy woke up to the sound of a heart-monitor beeping periodically. Everything smelled like disinfectant, and Billy’s entire torso felt bruised and sore.

“Hey,” someone was taking his hand, rubbing it gently like they were trying to coax him back to life. It felt like something Steve would do.

_Steve._

Billy shot up, eyes searching the room. But the only person he found was Jonathan.

Byers started back, still clutching his hand.

“Whoa, it’s okay,” He whispered. “Just breathe for a minute alright? You’ve been out for two days.”

 _Two days?_ What had happened in those two days? Where was the rest of the team?

“Steve...?” Billy croaked. His throat felt coarse from the lack of use.

“I’ll get you some water.” Jonathan quickly walked to the foot of the bed and busied himself by pouring out a glass from one of the hospital pitchers.

But Billy didn’t want water.

When Jonathan reached out to offer him the water, Billy gripped his arm and fixed him with a threatening stare that probably looked a little closer to desperation.

“Steve.” Billy rasped.

Jonathan looked away, stuffing his hands in his pockets. That’s all Billy needed to know.

Steve fell from a twenty-story building. The odds of him surviving were practically non-existent.

Billy turned away from Jonathan, falling back against the hospital bed.

“H-he would have wanted you to have this.” Jonathan murmured.

The other man pressed something small and metallic into his palm. Billy didn’t even need to look at it to know what it was.

“It was the only thing they were able to recover from Ste… from the body.” Jonathan finished, his voice sounding tighter than before.

Billy slowly turned back to look at the keychain in his hand. He’d seen it plenty of times but never actually got to hold it. _Look but don’t touch._ That was the rule when it came to totems.

It felt so wrong to actually hold Steve’s totem in his hand, but Billy couldn’t help but feel like it was the only thing keeping him anchored at the moment.

He ran his thumb along the toy vintage Camaro, feeling the wheels roll against his finger. Then he moved to the small silver bat with nails in it, holding it between his pointer and middle-finger like a cigarette. Neither of the items seemed to scream _Steve_ to Billy, but they must have had some kind of sentimental value.

Billy shakily grasped the final item on the keychain. A copper penny. Steve had added it after Billy found it on the pavement during their first official date. Someone had drilled a hole through Lincoln’s head and they both found that hilariously ironic. Steve kept it after that, and always joked he wished the year on the penny was the same year they met.

Billy traced the four digits on the coin. _1984_. He always hoped the penny would bring good luck. But if that were the case, then Steve would still be alive right now.

His fingers wrapped themselves around the totem.

This all felt like a bad dream.

“Where’s Hopper?” Billy asked, trying to distract himself.

Jonathan cleared his throat. “He’s uh-- He’s taking care of Tommy.”

Billy’s head snapped around at that answer.

Tommy. The man responsible for all of this. For their mission going to shit. For Billy getting shot. For Steve…

“He wanted to wait for you, but we didn’t know when you were going to wake up.” Jonathan continued. “He’s getting rid of the bodies today.”

Bodies. Billy could feel anger pool in the pit of his stomach at the fact that he couldn’t finish Tommy himself. But the thought of his corpse rotting right next to Brenner’s almost made up for it.

“Is there anything I can do?” Jonathan asked, shifting on his feet. They both knew the answer already.

Billy turned to face his teammate.

He could read Byers like a book. It’s what made him such a good Forger. There was something ugly, unspoken, and yet on the tip of the Chemist’s tongue. The way his eyes would focus on Billy and then look away sharply.

Disappointment. Regret. Guilt.  
He wanted it to be Steve lying in that hospital bed.

Billy wanted that too.  
Steve was their Architect. Their dreamer. How the hell were they going to keep going, keep working, without him?

“No.” Billy shook his head.

Jonathan nodded. “Okay. Um, I’m going to help Hopper clean up but uh, he and I will check in to see how you’re doing.”

Billy didn’t watch him leave. Instead he focussed on the window next to his bed. The sun was rising.

The Forger tried not to think about the last time he watched the sunrise. It felt so long ago now. Like it was a whole other life.

Billy squeezed his eyes shut.

He wished he was still living that other life, where he and Steve were safe and happy.

But Steve was dead. And Billy was left alone in a world that felt so much colder and emptier than it had before.

 

_Billy opened his eyes and suddenly he was back in their hotel suite._

_“We should get going.” Steve stated, rising from the bed and stretching his strong arms above his head. “Jonathan’s going to want to walk us through his new batch of Somnacin again. You know how he gets when we’re late.”_

_“Hey,” Billy reaches out and took hold of Steve’s wrist, still trying to get his bearings. “Can we stay a little longer?”_

_Steve stared into his deep blue eyes, sensing something that Billy couldn’t quite hide._

_“Is everything alright?”_

_“Yeah. It’s just... I was hoping we could have more time. This whole job has just been bearing down on us and...” Billy trailed off. He watched as Steve’s shoulders relaxed and that beautiful familiar grin spread across his face._

_“Aww, are you getting soft on me, Baby?” asked Steve._

_Billy huffed at the nickname and pulled Steve back into bed without much of a fight._

_The brunette rested his head on Billy’s chest, letting his lover card his calloused fingers through his thick locks of hair. This is how it always should be. Just the two of them, forever._

_Billy could feel both of them begin to doze off, lulled into a calm little paradise all of their own._

_“I was thinking,” Steve murmured. “After this job we should take a break together. Maybe head back to the cabin?”_

_Billy’s fingers paused their movement, remembering the last time they were at the cabin. It was a secret they kept from the rest of the team. Their own private Eden, tucked away in between two mountains. They both loved the escape from all the noise, from constantly looking over their shoulders expecting to find the muzzle of a gun aimed at their head._

_But what Billy loved most were the mornings. He and Steve would wake up naked, legs tangled together amidst a nest of blankets, and look out the bay windows into the vast forest that shielded them from the rest of the world._

_Steve would have one of Billy’s flannels pooled around his waist, arms lazily hanging out of the sleeves._

_It was one of the most beautiful things Billy had ever seen._

_“Hey,” Steve kissed the corner of Billy lip, pulling him out of his memories. “Where were you just now?”_

_Billy sighed and looked down into Steve’s deep brown eyes. “I was remembering you. And our first morning in the cabin.”_

_Steve blushed and dipped his eyes down before looking back up at Billy through his thick dark lashes. “So is that a yes?”_

_Billy smiled. “Hell yes.”_

_The man on his chest reached up and gave Billy a deep, lazy kiss before rising from the bed once again._

_Billy whined as Steve slipped from his grasp and bounced across the room, trying to get dressed._

_Steve had managed to pull on his jeans but hadn’t fastened the buckle yet, too busy looking for his other shoe._

_There was something familiar about this. A feeling of Déjà vu tugged at the back of Billy’s mind as he watched Steve continue to move around the room._

_“Thank god!” Steve exclaimed. As he scooped up Billy’s cigarettes and lighter._

_“Because I don’t know about you,” Steve lit a cigarette with Billy’s lighter. “But I could use a little escape.”_

_Billy watched Steve finish getting dressed, lit cigarette in his mouth and humming fragments of a long-forgotten song under his breath._

_“Yeah,” Billy whispered to himself. “I think I could too.”_

**Author's Note:**

> Aaand now that we're at the end I can tell you that all the italicized scenes are Billy dreaming/revisiting the times he still had Steve before he died.
> 
> And as always, comments and kudos are much loved!


End file.
